Work Text:
Abbreviations Used:
Af Lat = Afro-Latino
Ambig = Ambiguous Race
MENA = Middle Eastern or North African
Welcome to a special Year In Review edition of the AO3 Ship Stats!
This list shows the 100 pairing tags which had the greatest gain in total fanworks posted on Archive Of Our Own during the period 2 Jan 2021 - 1 Jan 2022. There are 57 M/M pairings, 10 F/M, 3 F/F, 1 Poly, 22 Gen and 7 Other. (Please note that on AO3, ‘Name & Name’ with an ampersand indicates platonic or familial ‘Gen’ relationships, while ‘Name/Name’ with a slash is used for romantic and sexual pairings.)
Of the 205 names on the list, 16 belong to women and 7 to characters of indeterminate gender, compared with from 22 and 2 in last year's list. In total there are 113 white characters, 74 Asian characters, 4 Latino characters, 2 Black characters, and 1 North African character, as well as 12 racially ambiguous characters. There are 80 total Characters of Colour, down from 104 in 2020's list.
For more information on this project, please see this year's FAQ post. Also, please be aware that this is not an official AO3 account - I am just collecting and sharing publicly visible data.
Happy New Year!
Edit 1: Corrected typo in the total number of Characters of Colour.
(Data updated to table format April 2025.)
| Rank | Change | Pairing | Fandom | New Works | Total | Type | Race | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38 | Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 15074 | 17945 | M/M | White | White |
| 2 | N | Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson | Video Blogging RPF | 10017 | 11103 | Gen | White | White |
| 3 | 5 | Castiel/Dean Winchester | Supernatural | 9412 | 100191 | M/M | White | White |
| 4 | -3 | Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù | 9012 | 27313 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 5 | N | Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit | Video Blogging RPF | 8848 | 10108 | Gen | White | White |
| 6 | 0 | Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 8592 | 28854 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 7 | -2 | Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 8510 | 52916 | M/M | White | White |
| 8 | 62 | Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit | Video Blogging RPF | 7700 | 9623 | Gen | White | White |
| 9 | 12 | Sirius Black/Remus Lupin | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 7640 | 27693 | M/M | White | White |
| 10 | -8 | Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens) | Good Omens (TV) | 6939 | 39378 | M/M | White | White |
| 11 | -4 | Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 6820 | 25094 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 12 | 16 | Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV) | 9-1-1 (TV) | 6722 | 11602 | M/M | White | Latino |
| 13 | -2 | Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug | Miraculous Ladybug | 6715 | 28442 | F/M | White | Asian |
| 14 | N | Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo | Video Blogging RPF | 6367 | 6367 | Gen | White | White |
| 15 | -2 | James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers | Captain America (Movies) | 5831 | 57582 | M/M | White | White |
| 16 | N | Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 5743 | 6810 | Gen | White | White |
| 17 | 25 | James Potter/Lily Evans Potter | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 5651 | 17201 | F/M | White | White |
| 18 | N | Tartaglia | Childe/Zhongli (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 5601 | 6476 | M/M | White | Asian |
| 19 | 15 | Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 5521 | 17278 | F/M | Ambig | White |
| 20 | -1 | Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 5345 | 14792 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 21 | 26 | Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi | Haikyuu!! | 5294 | 7847 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 22 | N | James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 4874 | 8164 | M/M | White | Black |
| 23 | -20 | Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion | Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types | 4812 | 15841 | M/M | White | White |
| 24 | -14 | Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 4807 | 30404 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 25 | 2 | Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 4354 | 11069 | Gen | Asian | Asian |
| 26 | N | Ranboo & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF) | Minecraft (Video Game) | 4345 | 4345 | Gen | White | White |
| 27 | -15 | Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 4251 | 20253 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 28 | N | Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF) | Minecraft (Video Game) | 4249 | 4742 | Gen | White | White |
| 29 | -20 | Peter Parker & Tony Stark | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 4148 | 23844 | Gen | White | White |
| 30 | N | Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki | SK8 the Infinity (Anime) | 4034 | 4034 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 31 | -6 | Dazai Osamu/Nakahara Chuuya (Bungou Stray Dogs) | 文豪ストレイドッグス | Bungou Stray Dogs | 3985 | 14461 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 32 | -10 | Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru | Haikyuu!! | 3880 | 17535 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 33 | -17 | Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou | Haikyuu!! | 3788 | 14052 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 34 | -20 | Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 3733 | 23836 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 35 | -20 | Steve Rogers/Tony Stark | The Avengers (Marvel Movies) | 3730 | 41779 | M/M | White | White |
| 36 | N | Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 3663 | 4497 | Gen | White | White |
| 37= | N | Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit | Video Blogging RPF | 3632 | 3632 | Gen | White | White |
| 37= | 62 | James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 3632 | 12196 | Other | White | Ambig |
| 39= | N | Diluc/Kaeya (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 3613 | 3613 | M/M | White | Ambig |
| 39= | -16 | Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) | Merlin (TV) | 3613 | 24324 | M/M | White | White |
| 41 | N | Karl Jacobs/Sapnap | Video Blogging RPF | 3603 | 3873 | M/M | White | White |
| 42 | 14 | Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 3562 | 6928 | Gen | Asian | Asian |
| 43 | N | Wilbur Soot & Technoblade | Video Blogging RPF | 3473 | 4072 | Gen | White | White |
| 44 | N | Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom | SK8 the Infinity (Anime) | 3466 | 3466 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 45 | -14 | Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor | Supergirl (TV 2015) | 3420 | 17875 | F/F | White | White |
| 46 | -26 | Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio | Haikyuu!! | 3393 | 16169 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 47 | -18 | Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski | Teen Wolf (TV) | 3326 | 64142 | M/M | White | White |
| 48 | N | Getou Suguru/Gojo Satoru | 呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga) | 3260 | 3827 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 49 | N | Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu | 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021) | 3187 | 3187 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 50 | N | Clay | Dream & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 3186 | 3698 | Gen | White | White |
| 51 | -18 | Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter | Hannibal (TV) | 3139 | 22510 | M/M | White | White |
| 52 | N | TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 3077 | 3671 | Gen | White | White |
| 53 | N | Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs/Sapnap | Minecraft (Video Game) | 3073 | 3073 | Poly | Latino | White |
| 54 | 3 | Amity Blight/Luz Noceda | The Owl House (Cartoon) | 3020 | 5251 | F/F | White | Af Lat |
| 55 | -18 | Dabi | Todoroki Touya/Takami Keigo | Hawks | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 3016 | 7266 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 56 | -52 | Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren | Star Wars Sequel Trilogy | 2998 | 26956 | F/M | White | White |
| 57 | N | Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith | Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan | 2945 | 9150 | M/M | White | White |
| 58 | N | Tartaglia | Childe/Traveler (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 2877 | 2877 | Other | White | White |
| 59 | -15 | Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 2862 | 15977 | F/M | Ambig | White |
| 60 | -34 | Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist | The Magnus Archives (Podcast) | 2833 | 7649 | M/M | Ambig | Ambig |
| 61 | N | Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 2727 | 3423 | Gen | White | White |
| 62 | -38 | Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova | The Old Guard (Movie 2020) | 2698 | 6453 | M/M | MENA | White |
| 63 | -33 | Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood | Shadowhunters (TV) | 2688 | 29251 | M/M | Asian | White |
| 64 | -6 | Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley | Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling | 2639 | 12959 | F/M | White | White |
| 65 | -12 | Sherlock Holmes/John Watson | Sherlock (TV) | 2617 | 65392 | M/M | White | White |
| 66 | -17 | Kaminari Denki/Shinsou Hitoshi | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2610 | 6519 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 67 | -50 | Adora/Catra (She-Ra) | She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) | 2574 | 9251 | F/F | White | Ambig |
| 68= | N | Carlos Reyes/TK Strand | 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020) | 2525 | 3869 | M/M | Latino | White |
| 68= | -27 | Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2525 | 23438 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 70 | 28 | Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know | Stray Kids (Band) | 2524 | 6360 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 71 | N | The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov | Shadow and Bone (TV) | 2500 | 2836 | F/M | White | Asian |
| 72= | N | Dabi | Todoroki Touya/Reader | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2498 | 2498 | Other | Asian | Ambig |
| 72= | N | Loki/Mobius M. Mobius | Loki (TV 2021) | 2498 | 2498 | M/M | White | White |
| 74 | N | Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson | Video Blogging RPF | 2493 | 2913 | Gen | White | White |
| 75 | -37 | Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou | Haikyuu!! | 2470 | 9174 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 76 | N | Venti/Xiao | Alatus (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 2397 | 2397 | M/M | White | Asian |
| 77 | N | Fushiguro Megumi/Itadori Yuuji | 呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga) | 2380 | 2788 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 78 | N | Clay | Dream & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF) | Minecraft (Video Game) | 2300 | 2756 | Gen | White | White |
| 79 | -31 | Bakugou Katsuki/Todoroki Shouto | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 2294 | 8322 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 80 | N | Traveler/Xiao | Alatus (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 2287 | 2287 | Other | White | Asian |
| 81 | -10 | Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader | Star Wars - All Media Types | 2249 | 5956 | Gen | White | White |
| 82 | N | Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | One Direction (Band) | 2201 | 36269 | M/M | White | White |
| 83 | -47 | Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2157 | 20063 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 84 | N | Huā Chéng/Xiè Lián (Tiān Guān Cì Fú) | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù | 2153 | 4271 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 85 | N | Peter Parker/Reader | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 2109 | 2109 | Other | White | Ambig |
| 86 | -43 | Kim Taehyung | V/Park Jimin | Bangtan Boys | BTS | 2091 | 13169 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 87 | N | Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito | Super Dangan Ronpa 2 | 2075 | 5665 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 88 | -42 | Patrick Brewer/David Rose | Schitt's Creek | 2059 | 6525 | M/M | White | White |
| 89 | -44 | Pepper Potts/Tony Stark | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 2056 | 20412 | F/M | White | White |
| 90 | N | Clay | Dream/Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF) | Video Blogging RPF | 2046 | 2511 | M/M | White | White |
| 91 | N | Diluc & Kaeya (Genshin Impact) | 原神 | Genshin Impact (Video Game) | 2039 | 2039 | Gen | White | Ambig |
| 92 | -26 | Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester | Supernatural | 2035 | 12018 | Gen | White | White |
| 93 | -43 | Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi | Haikyuu!! | 1983 | 8512 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 94 | -33 | Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1973 | 6774 | F/M | Asian | Asian |
| 95 | -16 | Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto | Naruto | 1966 | 10471 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 96 | -56 | Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan | Sean | 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF | 1965 | 6328 | M/M | Asian | Asian |
| 97 | -35 | Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson | Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan | 1964 | 8971 | F/M | White | White |
| 98 | -8 | Bakugou Katsuki/Reader | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia | 1963 | 4957 | Other | Asian | Ambig |
| 99 | -67 | Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens) | Good Omens (TV) | 1958 | 11120 | Gen | White | White |
| 100 | N | Loki (Marvel)/Reader | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 1950 | 6724 | Other | White | Ambig |